For Umhlanga-based artist Darren Reddy, every portrait holds a story.
Darren is passionate about creating visually striking work that tells meaningful stories. While he leads creative projects as Head Designer for a sportswear brand by day, his personal artwork explores culture, identity and the quiet strength people carry through everyday challenges.
How did growing up in Tongaat influence your creative journey?
Tongaat is a small town just north of Durban, and growing up in a multicultural community exposed me to many different ways of living, thinking and expressing culture. That environment sharpened my awareness of people, emotion and narrative, all of which continue to influence my work today.
I didn’t have formal creative training, so I taught myself by observing, sketching and experimenting. Those early days of curiosity shaped not only my technique but also my approach to storytelling, and I still carry that same curiosity into every piece I create.
What role do your cultural heritage and community play in your work?
Being Indian in a diverse community gave me a unique lens on the human experience. My heritage influences not only what I depict but also how I observe the small gestures, quiet expressions and shared emotions that connect us. My work aims to honour those subtleties while highlighting the humanity we all share.
Your work often highlights people and stories from the margins of society. How do you choose your subjects?
I’m drawn to people and moments that often go unnoticed. In portraits, I look for presence – a strength, vulnerability or triumph that suggests a deeper story. I also enjoy using creative or panoramic compositions to place subjects within their environment, allowing viewers to see not only the individual but also the world around them.
How do you decide which medium to work in?
The subject usually dictates the medium. Charcoal can capture intimacy and raw emotion, while acrylic allows for depth and layering. Mixed media often helps express complexity and nuance. I try to let the story lead the choice.
What do you hope viewers take away from your art?
I hope viewers connect with the work on an emotional level, whether that’s through empathy, recognising a shared experience or seeing the dignity and complexity in someone else’s story. Ideally, the artwork sparks reflection and conversation, leaving a subtle but lasting impression.
How do you see your work contributing to conversations about culture and identity today?
My work explores the subtler aspects of identity and belonging. I’m interested in how culture, memory, past adversity and personal resilience shape who we become. Through portraits and figure drawings, I aim to highlight the quiet strength people carry and the stories that often go unspoken.
Details: IG: @darrenreddystudios
Text: Jennifer Campbell Photograph of artist: TROY BISHOP PHOTOGRAPHY
